Everlasting Winter

First training exercise at U.A

Todoroki POV

The next morning Natsuo came into my room, but I was already awake.

"I'm up," I call sitting up.

"Hey, morning. How was your sleep?" He asks bringing me my uniform

"Better than expected," I reply.

"That's good. Now here comes the big question. Do you want cereal, or do you want milk?" He asks.

"I'll try cereal today," I say getting get up off my futon.

"Now that's what I want to hear," he smiles ruffling my hair.

"Hey," I whine.

"At least I did it before you brushed your hair," as he sticks out his tongue.

I stick my tongue out in response.

"I will see you downstairs," he laughs closing my door so I can change.

I quickly change into my uniform then head into the bathroom to fix my hair that Natsuo so kindly messed up. After finishing up in the bathroom I head downstairs for breakfast.

"Hey Shoto, I hear you want to try eating cereal today," Fuyumi smiles.

"Yeah, I was able to sleep through the night. So, I thought I should try and keep up the good trend," I say back.

"I'm glad you had a good night," Fuyumi replies,

We all sit down at the table. My sister already has my cereal and milk out. The milk was already in my bowl, so I only need to add my cereal. I add only a little cereal to my bowl, so I don't waste as much if I do finish it. We eat in silence enjoying our meals. Halfway through my bowl my mind wonders to negative thoughts and I lose my appetite. I look up to my sister and try to speak, I hear her voice in my head, you can also ways talk to me when the get too load. I can't speak, a familiar habit, one that haunts me, one that I've had since I can remember. I often wonder if I'm the only one in the world that goes mute. I lower my head trying to picture something good in my mind but its not good, thoughts of my father, the kids at school, why I'm so different all race faster and faster in my mind. I want the thoughts to stop, I want to tell my siblings, but nothing comes out. Maybe the kids at school are right, I'm just a stupid mute. It's too much. I want it to go away. I feel the tears begin to well up, I turn my head, so my siblings don't see. I look back and Natsuo knows, I can see it in his eyes. I get up from my chair without a word and head to my room. When I leave the table, I hear my sibling push their chairs out as well.

"I'll get it," I hear Fuyumi sigh as if someone was at the door.

Fuyumi gets up and heads towards the stairs, Natsuo is not far behind.

I hastily open my door, I hit my desk with my leg causing all the pictures of the service dogs to fall. My mind was going too fast for me to pick them up, the only one I picked up is Benelli's, I pushed open my bathroom door making sure it locks behind me. When my siblings arrive at my room, they are greeted with a mess of pictures all of which are the ones Midoriya sent me of the service dogs. I hear Fuyumi sigh again picking all the pictures up then walking over to my desk. After dealing with the initial mess, I hear Fuyumi rush over to the closed bathroom door.

"Shoto, are you okay," she asks with a gentleness in her voice. She knows what's coming. She has been dealing with my episodes for years.

I don't answer.

"Shoto, you need to answer me," she says more urgently.

I don't answer.

"Shoto, what's the word," she asks.